Where does anyone think our game is going?

Well the so called derby weekend may have been a stretch as a description but let us applaud the Premiership for building the narrative. It produced some stellar contests as did the following weekend especially between the top 4 teams, all due respect to Leicester Tigers. A premium on creative play has given Borthwick a wonderful headache and we really do have (as usual) some great young players knocking on the door. The fact that his best players are also shipping 40 points without difficulty in big matches may have the Boks and All Blacks smiling a little, if nervously. Strong (I mean exceptional really) defence is the rock on which South Africa has built its enviable record, and is where the Kiwis are still well short. England's bizarre situation with their defence coach and the lack of match fitness of Henry Slade, now the rather unlikely defender in chief will bother them a little. Also that Olly Lawrence gets unlocked too often for my liking, as a seasoned International. The Springboks multi attacking platform will be too much if they play to form or are allowed to. A traditional November drizzle could be the answer - actually I hope not because we need this test now for players who must live up to the talk. For the record, we can win 3 out of 4 quite easily given the weaknesses of the other three sides and a clean sweep would a great endorsement of current form and smart selection rather than the revolving doors of the off-field management.

My favourite and most improved team is Argentina however and we are seeing some of their wonderful individual skills in the English league as well as elsewhere. Felipe Contepomi should take a bow, also Michael Cheika who prepared the way and is now doing some simple things well at the Tigers.

Meantime, World Rugby have lurched into more rule changes to the obvious upset of Ireland and France in particular regarding the 20 minute red card (I agree with them). Not sure if the RFU has a view. Bill Beaumont has at last shown his true colours and advocated a reduction in substitutes which we have been screaming for over these last years and which has ruined many a match. Bit late Bill! The closed shop voting for the new Chair and Vice of World Rugby leaves us all stone cold as the real knowledge in the game doesn't get a look in.

The drums beat loud for a new European league because there is not enough money to go round and the latest attempt to persuade broadcasters to part with cash is underway. For many nations it will be welcome new funds and a similar structure so why not. For English rugby, a very different matter which is not being discussed anywhere other than in a panic strewn room and everyone is the dark until the fait accompli presented. We edge further towards a minority sport status but does anyone care? Bonuses and KPI's dominate in a world where outperformance is misunderstood if not misspelt and a cost plus world would have investors retreating in disbelief. As for Board governance, think again.

Lastly, a quite outrageous effort to persuade SA Rugby into the worst 'equity' deal I have seen for many years tops it all. It makes the CVC now discredited European deals look like a world beater in comparison.Thankfully some common sense thinking may have averted the disaster for a nation who has done a phenomenal job in growing the game and bringing much more to the sport than just Quadruple World Cup success.

The sadness is that amongst it all we have seen some superlative rugby and for that I raise my hat in tribute to many outstanding players, enlightened head coaches and some real atmospheric stadia. We climb the wall of worry .........